Two of a Kind
by brightlightsbrighterdreams
Summary: Lorraine Donnegan sees a little something of herself in beautiful, feisty Dynasty Barry, including the route she seems to be heading down. Michael Byrne was there to save her as a school girl; now she knows it's her turn. She has to be there for Dynasty, but at what cost to her blossoming relationship with Nicki Boston?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone, **

**I've been wanting to write this for a while, and Thursday's episode clinched that for me! I've found Dynasty and interesting character since she arrived and thought I could see a few similarities between her and Lorraine. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it and please let me know if it's worth continuing with. Reviews and criticism are always welcome :) x**

She was unmistakeable. The sashaying walk that sent her hips swinging, the carefully styled mass of corkscrew hair, the slow Liverpudlian drawl... Dynasty Barry caught the attention.

She'd been at Waterloo Road for five months now, and was gradually settling in. She'd found a firm friend in Imogen and despite herself, was starting to enjoy her new life in lazy Greenock, different though it was to the old days in the bright lights and buzz of Liverpool.

Although she was happy, to say life at home was strained would be an understatement. Barry was refusing to speak to Kacey after the 'humiliation she had brought upon the family' as he put it. Kacey was understandably stricken, and spent many of the evenings holed up in her room to avoid a confrontation. Dynasty was acting as peace keeper between her siblings whilst trying to ignore the snide remarks from her mum about her new found desire to go to university. She was finding it harder and harder to focus on school work, she knew her grades were dropping and she was starting to feel that she was stupid to even think she could get to university.

One of her old friends from Liverpool had sent her a text a few days ago.

_'Hey Dyn, how u doing? Just wanted to let u know theres a job goin in Elektra club- shot girl and dancer. Live in with a couple of other girls. You'd be perfect. Put your name forward. Get in touch. Jack x x'_

She was really considering phoning Jack and finding out more. What was there to stop her leaving school and moving back to where she knew best? She was pretty, she knew. She had the right figure. She could dance. She knew the job could be hers in an instant if she tried for it. Her stomach churned at the thought, but, like her mum said, she was Dynasty Barry. University? _Yeah right._

She sighed as she walked through the gates of Waterloo Road, her heels and the slamming rain clattering on the tarmac. It was a Monday morning, the start of another long week and Dynasty wasn't sure she had the energy to deal with it.

'Dynasty! _Dynasty!' _she heard from behind her, over the chattering of pupils and the heavy rain.

It was Imogen, jogging to catch up.

'Hey,' was all Dynasty offered.

'Hi,' Imogen said in her soft lilt. 'What's up with your face?'

'Nothing,' the other girl replied. 'Just not in the mood.'

Imogen just nodded in response, knowing not to push it.

Dynasty followed her friend through the maze of corridors, finally ending up in their form room. They sat down at a desk and waited for Mrs Mulgrew, Imogen turning round to speak to Kevin and Connor, Dynasty flicking through a magazine.

After registration finished, Mrs Mulgrew called her back.

'Dynasty? A quick word, please.'

Dynasty slowly walked back towards her teacher, stopping and leaning casually on a desk.

'Your essay on 'The Great Gatsby' was disappointing. It's a D grade, it should be an A. What's going on?' the teacher asked, making eye contact with the girl.

Dynasty shrugged non committally. 'Dunno, Miss.'

'_Come on.'_ Mrs Muglrew said. 'It's your A Level here. Get into gear, Dynasty, you can do much better than this.'

Dynasty rolled her eyes and turned on her heel. It wasn't until she'd got out of the door and was half way down the flight of stairs that the tears pricked her eyes. A soft hand grabbed hers.

'Hey- everything okay?' a strong London accent asked.

Dynasty's tear-blurred eyes caught sight of a head of glossy blonde hair before she pulled her hand away and ran, not stopping until she was safely inside a toilet cubicle.

Who was she kidding? She was stupid, worthless. The only thing she had that was of use was her body, her looks. Roughly drying her eyes, she took out her phone, her manicured nails flying over the keys.

'_Hey Jack. Give me deets, yeah? How much pay are we talking? I'm interested :) X'_


	2. Chapter 2

Lorraine Donnegan strode swiftly into the office she shared with Michael, dropping a pile of papers on Sonia's desk with a distracted smile as she passed. Michael looked up as she entered.

'Michael, is everything alright with Dynasty Barry?' she asked, concern etched uncharacteristically across her face.

Michael looked surprised. 'Why do you ask?'

'I just bumped into her, she looked pretty upset.' Lorraine replied, taking a seat behind her desk.

'Well to be honest, I don't know what to think about Dynasty. I really thought we'd got through to her- we were getting somewhere, y'know? Her grades were strong, she had ambition..' Michael said thoughtfully.

'What's changed?'

'Her grades are sinking day by day, she's uninterested, she hasn't attended any of the higher education meetings. God knows whether she'll pass her AS year! I don't know what to think.'

Lorraine stood up, still looking thoughtful, quickly grabbing a file and her handbag. 'Hmmm. Right, well I've got a meeting in town, so I've got to fly. I'll be back by lunch.'

She headed out to her car, easing the red convertible out of the staff car park and out of the gates, beeping her horn at a gaggle of Year Nine girls who were in the way. The conversation she'd just had was still ringing in her ears.

_'Her grades are sinking day by day.'_

_'Hasn't attended any higher education meetings.'_

_'God knows whether she'll pass her AS year.'_

With a jolt, Lorraine realised Michael could have been describing her in her sixth form days. Now that she thought about it, she could see a lot of herself in Dynasty; she too had been pretty and smart at school, far too reliant on her looks and charm. She shuddered when she remembered how close she'd been to leaving school without her qualifications, offered a job as a 'waitress' in a sleazy restaurant. She'd been so tempted to do it- she was sick of being labelled a 'bimbo' who would never amount to anything and was desperate for the freedom a job would offer.

It had been Michael who'd saved her. Michael who, as her teacher, had spotted the potential and told her she could be anything she wanted. It had been Michael who had heard about her plans to leave and told her in no uncertain terms what a mess she'd be making if she did it, and that there was nothing except herself stopping her from succeeding.

Driving through town, she was lost in her thoughts until a familiar face caught her eye. She thought for a second, then made a snap decision, pulling in sharply, flicking in response to the beep she earned from the driver behind her. She grabbed her phone from its position on the seat next to her and held it to her ear.

'Sonya? Yeah, hi, it's me. Can you cancel this morning's meeting please? Yeah, something's come up. Tell them I'll be in touch.'

Grabbing her handbag and elegantly climbing out of her car, she crossed the road and walked back to where she had seen Dynasty Barry sitting. The girl was cross legged on a bench hugging herself, earphones firmly lodged in. Lorraine sat down beside her and pulled on of the earphones out.

'If you're going to skive, at least make it somewhere a bit nicer,' she said wryly, gesturing towards the run down Chinese takeaway and the betting shop that sat behind them.

Dynasty couldn't even manage a smile. 'I'm not going back,' was all she said.

Lorraine looked at her. 'Well if you just mean today, I can probably cope with that. It's a different kettle of fish if you mean ever though.'

Dynasty just shrugged, her gaze firmly on the chewing gum stained ground at her feet.

They sat in silence for a few minutes. Dynasty finally spoke, just as the first few droplets of rain began to fall.

'Are you gonna tell Mr Byrne about this?'

Lorraine studied the girl.

'Do you want to go for a drive?' she asked in way of response.

A slow smile spread across Dynasty's face.

'Cheers, miss.' she said. 'I appreciate it.'

A flash suddenly illuminated the dilapidated Chinese, accompanied by a large, rumbling boom.

'Oh god. Thunder and lightening.' Dynasty said.

A few seconds later, rain as heavy as the shower earlier in the morning began to pelt down, bouncing with force on the pavement.

'Hurry up then, before we get soaked!' Lorraine yelled, struggling to make herself heard over the rain.

The traffic lights seemed to take an age to change, and Lorraine's car seemed miles further away than she'd thought she'd parked. By the time they reached it, Lorraine's tight pencil dress was sticking to her and Dynasty's tight curls were flattened to her head. Both had mascara streaming down their faces. Laughing, they collapsed into the car.

They settled into silence as Lorraine pulled away. After a few minutes, she glanced at Dynasty. She was sitting quietly, gazing out of the window. She looked tired and sad, Lorraine decided. Thinking quickly, she realised she wouldn't get far by trying to talk things through today. The teenager needed cheered up, and fast.

'Right. How about we go and get some lunch and then I'll drop you home? I'll tell Mr Byrne you weren't very well and I excused you.' the blonde asked, sliding a CD into the player.

Dynasty smiled for the second time. 'Thanks, Miss Donnegan. That'd be great.'

WR WR WR WR WR WR WR

An hour and a half later, Lorraine pulled up outside school. She'd taken Dynasty for a meal in a nice restaurant and chatted to her about trivial things before dropping her off at home.

'Get a good night's sleep, sweetheart!' she'd called from the car as she watched the teenager head into a block of grotty flats.

She'd felt a flutter in the bottom of her stomach as she drove out of the estate, the flutter she always felt when she thought about her own childhood. She'd grown up on a similar estate in a big family renowned as one you didn't mess with.

Still lost in her thoughts, Lorraine didn't notice Nicki until the tall brunette was directly in front of her.

'Where have you been?' she asked, a look of disappointment on her face. 'Michael said you'd gone to a meeting, but Sonya said you'd cancelled it.'

'Oh- yeah. I did cancel. Don't let it get back to Michael, but I took Dynasty Barry for something to eat.' Lorraine replied.

'What? Hang on, that's really inappropriate! Also, have you forgotten _we _were meant to be going for something to eat?' Nicki replied, a hint of frostiness in her voice.

Lorraine's heart plummeted. She had completely forgotten.

'Oh god. I'm sorry, Nicki, I totally forgot. I got caught up with Dynasty-'

'You can't just take a pupil for lunch! Where is she now?!'

'I dropped her home.'

'What?!'

'She looked knackered. I'm dealing with it, okay?' Lorraine snapped, turning away and stalking up the steps to the school entrance.

Lorraine's natural instinct when challenged was to put up a barrier and attack. Her upbringing had caused a natural aggression whenever she was in a fight-or-flight situation. She turned and saw Nicki still standing in the same position. She let out a soft sight. She was good at defending herself. She was good at thinking on her feet. She was good at making business deals. _Really good. _But relationships?

She didn't have a clue.


End file.
